Valve



1950 R. EICHENBERG EIAL 2,496,452

VALVE Filed Oct. 30, 1948 Forres f Gober Robe) 2 f/chenberg INVENTORJ A T TOR/V5 Y5 Patented Feb. 7, 1950 VALVE Robert Eiehenberg, Houston, and Forrest Gober, Baytown, Tex., assignors to McEvoy Company, Houston, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application October 30, 1948, Serial No. 57,502

6 Claims.

perature conditions under which the fluid being handled is partially coked. Valves heretofore used under these conditions have not proven satisfactory because of the tendency of the valves to coke up to the extent that they cannot be closed. Because of this, it has been the usual practice, for instance in conduits associated with apparatus for cracking petroleum to use a plurality of valves, usually three in each conduit. Usually one of the valves can then be operated but it is not infrequently the case that all of the valves will be coked up and the whole unit will have to be shut down.

An object of this invention is to provide a valve especially adapted to control high temperature organic fluids. Y

Another object is to provide a valve which does not readily coke up when used for controlling organic fluids at coking temperatures.

A further object is to provide a gate valve having an enlarged body recess or chamber for receiving the gate when the valve is to be shut with means substantially sealing oil the chamber and restricting circulation of line fluid through the recess with the valve open thereby reducing the likelihood of formation and accumulation of sufflcient coke in the recess to prevent proper operation of the valve.

Yet a further object is to provide in a gate valve a chamber for receiving the gate when in closed position wherein the gate carries a part which serves as a false partition for substantially sealing off the chamber, from the line fluid, when the gate is in open position and wherein the partition is adapted to be moved into the 'recess when the gate is closed and has a loose fit within the recess except in position with the gate open and therefore does not materially interfere with free operation of the gate.

Other and further objects of this invention will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the instant specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith the single figure is a vertical sectional view of avalve constituting an embodiment of this invention.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1 the numeral I designates a valve body having threaded openings 6 and I which receive flanged fittings I and la adapted to be connected to a fiow line. The fittings I and la have aligned passageways for conducting fluid through the valve.

The valve seat assembly includes two full length seats 0 and it having cylindrical extensions that fit respectively in openings t and I. The valve gate assembly is made up of two parts ii and I! which are urged apart and in abutment with the adjacent seat elements by coil springs IS. A seal is provided between the two gate members by seal ring l4 disposed in opposed registering grooves formed on the inner surfaces of the gate. The gate parts have registering openings adapted to complete the passageway through the valve.

The gate is adapted to move vertically within the valve body and any suitable actuating mechanism may be provided in accordance with conventional practice for raising and lowering the valve. In the embodiment illustrated the valve bonnet i5 is secured to the body by suitable bolts l 8 and the gate is carried at the lower end of the valve stem II which extends through a stufiing box l8. Risers l9 rotatably carry hand-wheel 20 which has a threaded connection with the upper end of stem ii. The stem is held against rotation by the gate and seat members and thus rotation of the hand wheel in one direction raises the gate and rotation of the hand wheel in the opposite direction lowers the gate, to open and close the valve, respectively.

In order to prevent the likelihood of the valve coking up when handling organic fluids at coking temperatures, a cylindrical member 2| with a removable closure 24 seallngly secured thereto is threaded to the valve body. This member provides a chamber Zia to receive the gate when it is shifted from the open position shown in Fig. 1 to a lowered position with the upper portion of the gate closing off the passageway through the seat members. The wall of chamber Ila preferably is cylindrical in shape but may deviate from this and assume any suitable shape. The size of the chamber relative to the gate is such that any coke that might form within the chamber will settle to the bottom of the chamber and not interfere with the proper closing of the valve. However, it has been found to be necessary to substantially close of! communication of chamber 2|a" with the main passageway through the I valve.

assess:

Chamber 2la must be substantially closed oi! because if line fluid is permitted to circulatecontinuously through the chamber the temperature of the fluid within the chamber will be maintained substantially above the critical coking temperature and coke will continuously form and eventually accumulate to an extent to prevent properfunctioning of the valve. The arrangement of seat and gate, shown, substantially cuts down any tendency for the line fluid to circulate through the chamber 2|a but it has been found preferable to additionally separate the chamber from the remainder of the interior of the body.

This may be suitably accomplished by providing a false partition 22 which moves in the chamber in response to movement of the gate. This false partition member 22 may be in the form of a piston and preferably is secured to the valve element. Member 22 may be connected to the valve element by welding thereto a pin 22 having an enlarged head which fits corresponding grooves formed in the gate members. ment the member 22 will rise and fall in response to movement of the gate.

Partition 22 may be fabricated from metal, but where the fluids to be handled are at a temperature greatly above their critical temperature, it is preferable to fabricate the partition at least in part from a material having poor heat transfer characteristics, as for example asbestos, fire clay and the like. This will then serve as a heat barrier for aid in maintaining the temperature within chamber 2|, beneath the partition, below the critical temperature of the fluid.

Member 22 preferably has a loose or sloppy fit within chamber 2| or may have a grooved periphery whereby fluid is free to flow past the piston upon actuation of the valve. While the free flow of fluid past the partition is required in order to prevent sticking of the member 22 within the chamber 2| and to reduce the dash-pot effect, nevertheless clearance of .025", between the partition and recess wall, has been found suitable and this maintains the liquid beneath the member substantially dormant. In the drawings this loose fit is exaggerated for purposes of illustration.

Means is provided between the partition 22 and the wall of chamber 2 la. to substantially seal off the chamber from the interior of the valve body when the gate is in open position. This may be accomplished by reducing the internal diameter of the chamber to provide a down turned shoulder 2 lb against which the partition will seat when in raised position. Preferably shoulder 2") is tapered and the partition is correspondingly tapered as at 22a. This tapered seat normally will not provide a positive seal, but inasmuch as there will be no pressure differential across the partition the effect thereof is a substantial sealing off of the chamber to stop circulation of a heated fluid therethrough.

The body wall surrounding chamber 2|a is preferably equipped with means for dissipating heat from the wall whereby the fluid within the chamber may be maintained below the critical coking temperature. For ordinary refinery operation for handling fluid in connection with cracking operations where the fluid temperature is usually in the neighborhood of 1100 F., it has been found that fins surrounding cylinder 2| will maintain the temperature of the fluid within chamber 2|a below the critical coking temperature when the coking temperature of the fluid is 700' 1''. In this connection, it is also advisable With this arrange 4 to provide the valve body with fins 20 for further dissipating heat from the valve body.

In operation the valve is connected in a conduit and with the valve element in the position shown in Fig. l the passage through the valve element is aligned with flow passage through the fittings l and 8a and the seat members I and II. In this open position the false parfltion 22 is positioned in the entrance to the chamber 2|a with tapered surfaces 2: and 22a seated. This seated union substantially sealsoif the chamber from the remainder of the interior of the valve body. Thus this recess within the body is separated from the line fluid and for practical purposes the line fluid does not circulate in the chamber.

When the valve is in open position the close flt between the seat members and the valve body and the seat members and valve gate is such as to provide a relatively quiet zone of fluid within the main portion of the valve body iust surrmmding the valve passageway. The tendency for this fluid to circulate through the chamber 2| is almost completely nullifled by the position of the false partition seated at the entrance of the' chamber. Thus a body of fluid is trapped within the chamber in a position where there is very little addition of heat to the fluid. There is a constant dissipation of the heat due to the heat transferring flns or vanes 2i surrounding the chamber, and the flns 28 constantly cool the main portion of the valve body reducing the tendency for heat to flow from the main portion of the valve body to the portion surrounding chamber 2|a. When the gate is lowered to shut the valve the false partition moves downwardly within chamber 2 la and the fluid beneath the partition is free to flow past the partition to the upper portion of the chamber due to the loose flt of the partition in the chamber beneath shoulder 2).

With this construction there is very little tendency for coke to form within the valve and particularly within chamber 2|. However the body may be formed with a removable cap 2d at the lower end of the chamber which facilitates assembly of the valve and the cleaning out of any coke that might accumulate over long periods of use. It is contemplated that this can may carry a drain plug.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and sub-combination are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth as shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. is Having described the invention, what is claimed 1. In a gate valve a body with a e there-- 'through, a valve gate mounted for reciprocal movement within the body to cbntrol the passage, an internal recess in the body within which the valve gate is adapted to move when actuated, and means separate from and loosely carried by the valve gate and with the valve gate in open position having a surface in substantially sealing engagement with the perimeter of said recess at v in the body and adapted to receive the valve element to accommodate reciprocal movement thereof and a false partition carried by the valve element and loosely fitting the chamber and adapted to be reciprccated within the chamber upon reciprocation of the valve element, and when in a position at the entrance of the chamber with the valve open having a surface in substantially sealing engagement with the perimeter of said chamber at the portion where the valve 6 ber with the valve open substantially sealing of! the entrance of the chamber.

5. A valve usable for controlling conduits han- .dling organic fluids at coking temperatures comgate enters the chamber to prevent circulation of line fluid within the chamber.

3. In a valve usable for controlling flow of organic fluids at coking temperatures, a body with a flow passage there through' and a gate type valve element mounted for reciprocal movement within the body for controlling the passage, a

, chamber formed within the body for accommodating reciprocation of the valve'element and a false partition mounted for movement within the chamber, means for bypassing fluid past the partition upon movement thereof, means providing for movementof the partition in response to movement of the valve element, said false partition in its position at the entrance of the chamber with the valve open having a surface in substantially sealing engagement with the perimeter of the entrance of said chamber to prevent circulation of line fluid within the chamber.

4. A valve usable for controlling conduits handling organic fluids at coking temperatures comprising a body with a passageway therethrough, a gate type valve element operably mounted for reciprocation within the body to control the passageway, a chamber formed within the body and adapted to receive the valve element to accommodate reciprocal movement thereof and a false partition carried by the valve element and loouly fitting the chamber and adapted to be reciprocated within the chamber upon reciprocation of the valve element, said chamber having a reduced diameter portion at its end where the valve element enters, said reduced diameter portion adapted to be engaged by said false partition when in a position at the entrance of the champrising a body with a passageway therethrough, a gate type valve element operably mounted for reciprocation within the body to control the passageway, a chamber formed within the body and adapted to receive the valve element to accommodate reciprocal movement thereof and a false partition carried by the valve element and loosely fitting the chamber and adapted to be reciprocated within the chamber upon reciprocation of the valve element, a tapered shoulder within the chamber adjacent the position where the valve element enters the chamber, said shoulder adapted to be engaged by said partition when the same is positioned at the entrance to the chamber with the valve open for substantially sealing off the chamber from the remainder of the interior of the body.

6. A valve usable for controlling conduits handlin'g organic fluids at coking temperatures comprising a bodywith a passageway therethrough, a gate type valve element operably mounted for reciprocation within the body to control the passageway, a chamber formed within the body and adapted to receive the valve element to accommodate reciprocal movement thereof and a false partition carried by the valvev element and loosely fitting the chamber and adapted to be reciprocated within the chamber upon reciprocation of the valve element, and seat surfaces carried by the body and partition adapted to engage each other when said false partition is in its position at the portion where the valve element enters the chamber substantiallysealing off the entrance of the chamber with the valve open.

ROBERT EICHENBERB. v FDRREST GOBER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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